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LAW SCHOOL PROFILE
William Mitchell College of Law [by Zamzam Syed] This Minnesota law school was founded as an alternative to the legal education offered at the time, and by adhering to that idea, it has allowed students of diverse backgrounds to flourish as productive members of the legal profession.
A century ago, hardworking, socially con-
Much like other law schools, William Mitchell
Chief Justice of the United States Warren
scious attorneys in Minnesota had a vision
strives to educate attorneys who will become
E. Burger ‘31, Minnesota Supreme Court
for their brothers and sisters in the working
productive, ethical members of the legal
Justices Sam Hanson ‘65 and Helen M. Meyer
world. The idea was to create an alternative
community, both in serving clients and their
‘83, and Minnesota’s first woman on the Su-
avenue for legal education, and to open up
communities, and by continuing to promote
preme Court Justice Rosalie E. Wahl ‘67.
the practice of law to working professionals,
justice and the public good. What truly distin-
an idea well before its time, at a point where
guishes William Mitchell from other schools
legal education was the prowess of the elite.
is the way in which it accommodates the
The vision culminated in 5 different law
work, family and other needs of its students,
school campuses in Minnesota where immi-
something that was inherent in its history as
grants, children of immigrants and working
a school designed around the needs of work-
adults in fields like banking, insurance and
ing professionals.
healthcare, could converge on centrally-located downtown campuses and indulge in
Students at William Mitchell enjoy an inte-
the rigors of a legal education by night, while
grated curriculum which is focused on both
maintaining their jobs by day. By 1940, the
theory and practice, along with a strong
campuses were consolidated to form one in-
emphasis on ethics and the public good. In
novative law school, named William Mitchell
keeping with the practice skills approach, the
after the Minnesota Supreme Court justice,
law school was one of the first in the nation
whose opinions were regarded as models
to dedicate several full-time tenured faculty
of brevity and sound judicial reasoning. The
members to clinical teaching. The school
founders chose St. Paul as the location for
offers a plethora of both civil and criminal
this independent, non-profit private law
clinical programs, in addition to a legal writ-
school.
ing program that includes diverse skills like contract negotiation and client counseling,
The St. Paul location has since served the
in addition to the traditional legal writing
school well in harnessing a strong regional
exercises.
reputation for its graduates. The law school’s proximity to the state capital and St. Paul’s
Today, William Mitchell boasts a 335-mem-
twin city of Minneapolis provides a treasure
ber first year class with an average age of
trove of opportunity, for both professional
25, and with 25% of its students hailing from
growth and personal development. Students
outside of Minnesota. Furthermore, the most
are readily able to take advantage of several
impressive factor is the stellar employment
large firms, government institutions at the
record the school’s graduates enjoy. With
capital and up to 15 of the Fortune 500 firms,
well over a 95% employment rate most years,
headquartered there. Furthermore, the city
William Mitchell produces well-balanced
consistently ranks as one of the most livable
professionals who take on the practice of
in the US, as ranked by the Morgan Quitno
law as they have learned it. Among the most
Press annual survey of US cities.
notable of William Mitchell’s alumni are
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